Puzzle.



E. F. SLEAH.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED snmzs, 1915. RENEWED MAY 26, 1911.

l 5 1 l j 5& Patented July 3,1917.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR. Qb72 223m jl fzwzf' 1 .w WLQWWQWQ A TTOR NE Y.

ELIAS ZEREDERIC SLEAR, OF GOLLINGSWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 191%.

Application filed September 28, 1915, Serial No. 53,115. Renewed May 26, 1917. Serial No. 171,296.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS F. SLEAR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Collingswood, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a cer tain new and useful Puzzle, of which the following is a specification.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a puzzle which is popular, diverting and quaint and -whereof the same is self-contained, neat, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture; and whereof besides being interesting and puzzling to those manipulating the device, it further possesses the qualities of being capable of use as an advertising medium. ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which:

Figure 1, is a top or plan view of the puzzle (drawn to an enlarged scale), embodying the invention and illustrating the parts thereof prior to solving the puzzle,

Fig. 2, is a view in cross-section thereof, taken upon the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8, is a top or plan view illustrating one solution of the puzzle.

In the drawings, the puzzle is shown as comprising a circular box-like structure or casing 10, of any suitable material, which casing is provided with a glass, celluloid, isinglass or other transparent top or cover 11. The casing 10, is provided at its bottom with a built up disklike portion 10, of any suitable material, as paper, the same being relatively thick and is provided upon its upper face with a multiplicity of circular depressions some of which constitute hazards and of which others are necessary to the solution of the puzzle. Those depressions constituting the hazards are preferably arranged in groups and are designated 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Some of these depressions in the drawings, those designated 16, and 17, may be somewhat larger than the others in order to more effectively impede the progress of movable elements hereinafter referred to. Those depressions necessary to the solution of the puzzle are designated 18, and 19, and as shown in the may be solved in four directions.

drawings are disposed substantially cruciform, although obviously they may be arranged to form a circle, a diamond, a triangle or other configuration. Each depression of the group under consideration has closely associated therewitl'i a letter, numeral or other character. In the drawing, letters 20, are present and are arranged to spell Somore which word may be read from left to right, from top to bottom, and from at an angle from the left hand side of the puzzle to the bottom and from the top to the right hand side thereof. In other words, the puzzle in the present instance In practice these letters are delineated upon the surface of the disk 10, as by printing, so that no projections are present. The means disclosed for solving the puzzle embrace spherical members 21, for instance shot, of which six are present, one for every letter required to complete the spelling of the word Somore. Obviously, the number of letters and shot used may be increased or diminished as desired.

The object of the puzzle to manipulate the casing so that the spherical members 21, will rest within the depressions 18, or 19, or both, so as to complete the spelling of the word Somore. For instance as shown in Fig. 3. This is quite difficult to do, as the multiplicity of depressions grouped around the depressions 18, and 19, serve to deflect or else temporarily retain the members 21, so that while tilting and tapping the casing with the fingers, the operator dis lodges those members "21, already seated within the depressions 18 or 19.

Ample surface is present upon the various parts of the puzzle for advertising matter and the various depressions may be so disposed that with the solving of the puzzle the operator has completed the name of some article of merchandise.

It will 110w be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim is:

1. A puzzle embracing a casing having a transparent cover, and a flat bottom, said flat bottom having a series of shallow depres sions formed therein to form a geometric decoration, each depression having asso-' ciated therewith a letter delineated upon the casing bottom which letters form the spelling of a Word in varied directions, other depressions grouped with respect to the first mentioned depressions to form hazards and a series of spherical members sufiicient in number to occupy in sequential relation a pre-determined number of the first men tioned depressions upon the proper manipulation of the casing to effect the spelling of said word.

2. A puzzle embracing a circular casing having atransparent cover, a relatively thick, fiat-disk-like member fitted upon the casing bottom and having formed upon its flat surface a' series of shallow circular depressi'ons forming a design of cruci-form configuration, each depression having associated therewith a letter delineated upon said disk, which letters form the spelling of a word in varied direction, other depressions grouped around the first mentioned depressions, some of which are of greater depth than others, forming hazards, and a series of spherical members suiiicient in number to occupy in, sequential relation a pre-determined number of the first mentioned depressions upon proper manipulation of the easing to effect the spelling of said Word.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of ELIAS FREDERIC SLEAR.

lVitnesses:

rimmer J. JACKSON, HELEN M. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained f fiv cents each, by addressing the i ner of Patents.

Washington, D, (1, g r i 

